


4 Rings

by TheFirstMrsHummel



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Canon Compliant, Frotting, M/M, songfic kinda, spoilers for The Hike
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2020-01-07 03:31:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18402227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFirstMrsHummel/pseuds/TheFirstMrsHummel
Summary: The Schitt’s Creek social media team posted a “7 rings” inspired David and Patrick meme (https://twitter.com/SchittsCreek/status/1094009932104400896), which in turn inspired this fic. Have not been able to get the lyrics out of my head for days!





	4 Rings

Part One: _I See It_

The first time Patrick met David Rose, he couldn’t keep the smile off his face.  It was especially nice since there hadn’t been a lot to smile about lately. He was still disoriented from his sudden and entirely out of character move to Schitt’s Creek. His parents were worried sick about him, and Rachel had recently broken his request for no contact with a string of late night, possibly drunken texts begging him to come home so they could fix whatever was wrong. And while Ray was an interesting boss and housemate, the work he’d hired Patrick for was for the most part as boring and mundane as at his previous job as a corporate paralegal. So to say that he was surprised when a routine appointment to fill out incorporation papers turned out to be the first thing to lift his spirits in weeks? That was a massive understatement.

David had looked very serious when he shook Patrick’s hand, returning his wide, welcoming customer service smile with just the ghost of his own. He was dressed in severe black and white, with thick dark hair and heavy brows that reminded Patrick of the emo kids back in high school.  But David was anything but jaded or apathetic. He’d met Patrick’s dry sarcasm with his own sharper-edged one, but what Patrick found so fascinating was how utterly animated he was, from his breathy ramblings to his incredibly expressive face, his large hands adorned with heavy silver rings that never seemed to stop moving.

David was…delightful, just an absolute bundle of nerves, and he failed spectacularly at masking them with a paper-thin veneer of haughty arrogance. Talking to David was the most engaging, amusing experience he’d had since moving to town, and he’d really hoped that he’d make use of Patrick’s business card.

Oh, and made use of it he had, with a series of hilarious voice mail messages that had been deceptively informative. A store that stocked local products, under a single brand that David would create from the ground up. Patrick really liked the name: _Rose Apothecary_. It was a little grandiose, sure, but he couldn’t argue that it had a vintage, luxury feel to it that fit with the location and the inventory David mentioned wanting to carry. Natural beauty products and skin care, handmade clothing and accessories, organic foods and wines. It was a creative idea with a lot of upsides and very few downsides, and Patrick felt his pulse thrum a little. He’d always loved the idea of entrepreneurship, but lacked the imagination and courage needed to dream that big. Patrick had laser focus and could execute brilliantly, but that spark of inventiveness hadn’t been programmed into his DNA. It obviously was in David’s though, and he eagerly reached for his stack blank incorporation forms, ready to get to work.

When David showed up the next day, Patrick couldn’t help needling him a bit about the voicemails, but made sure he clearly relayed the message that he thought David’s business plan was a good, solid one at its core. David seemed less nervous and a little more vulnerable, but obviously appreciative of Patrick’s praise and efforts on his behalf. Patrick hadn’t been able to take his eyes off David as he left, and the room immediately turned duller and more colorless once he walked out the door.

Patrick decided to use whatever means he could find to get David’s business license expedited. He didn’t want to wait any longer than necessary to see David Rose again.

 

Part Two: _I Like It_

On some days, opening a business with David seemed like the worst decision of Patrick’s life. While Patrick tried desperately to track every small detail, he couldn’t do it all, and it wouldn’t do David any favors if he did. _Don’t give a man a fish, teach him to fish_ had always been his dad’s advice. So Patrick always made sure there were a few operational items for David to own, like insurance and the assistance of a licensed electrician. It drove him nuts to constantly have to ask for updates only to be told that David was _reaching out_ or _following up_ , but since they were both doing this for the first time it was only to be expected that there would be some growing pains along the way.

But on other days – most days if Patrick was being completely honest with himself – opening a business with David felt like the best thing that had ever happened to him. His days were filled with a purpose, and challenges that made every single day different than the one before. Patrick wasn’t the world’s best nurturer but he was one hell of a problem solver, and there were a lot of problems to solve. And when he got stuck, David was always there for him to talk things through with, to offer alternatives that were so far out of Patrick’s box he would have never thought of them in a million years.

They would work together in the store all day, grab dinner from the café and then come back to the store to have a glass of wine or whiskey to cap off the evening. It was how Patrick learned about David’s past life, gathered together from various off the cuff or self-depreciating remarks. He knew that David’s family and been rich and low-key famous, but not that the closeness he sensed among the Rose family was an entirely new thing that they were all still trying to get used to. He knew that David had owned galleries in New York, but not that his parents had fronted each operation, creating an illusion of success that led to a crippling sense of loss when David had realized that what he thought he had was nothing truly substantial at all. He’d pieced together that David was someone who had been shallow and irresponsible, but not that he longed for real, authentic connections with other people.

David was colorful, passionate, smart, creative and funny, and Patrick liked him so damn much he would practically count the hours they were apart until he could see David again. There was something about David that settled the unmoored feeling that Patrick had always had, hidden behind the air of popularity and confidence of his adolescence and young adulthood.

It was during and just after the soft launch of Rose Apothecary that Patrick was able to fully understand and accept a fundamental truth. At thirty years old, he had never felt so comfortable or right in his own skin as he had that day. The relief was almost overwhelming, filling up all the parts of him that had been left dry and empty from doubt. All he needed to do was glance over at David helping a customer; their eyes would meet momentarily, and Patrick’s entire body would flush with a warm, fond feeling that was like nothing he’d ever experienced before.

Their hug at the end of the night after everyone had gone home had been perfect. Patrick had tried to play it off as a routine friendly hug between a couple of bros, but it went on a little too long, and when David’s hand had slid over the crisp fabric of his button-down shirt it spurred a longing so deep inside him he was grateful for the dimming lights as a distraction.

Patrick liked David Rose a lot, and being in his arms felt like exactly where he was meant to be.

 

Part Three: _I Want It_

Their night at Stevie’s apartment had not gone exactly as Patrick had expected, especially at the beginning.

He’d known that David had been adventurous in his past, had had multiple partners and likely a variety of sexual experiences that Patrick couldn’t even imagine. But he’d always chalked that up to things that had happened to David before he’d come to Schitt’s Creek, as if the move to such a small town had somehow hit the reset button on David’s daredevil sex life.

Patrick didn’t know how he would ever live up to the wild, unbridled sex David had experienced with other men and women. His own sex life had been unsatisfying and uninspired, just about what one would expect from a gay man who only from sheer force of will had somehow managed to have semi-successful intercourse with women for the past twelve years. Patrick had never understood why it was so difficult to feel desire, not until he met David and everything slotted into its proper place.

So finding out that even after leaving his sybaritic life behind, David had nearly fallen into a throuple kind of blew Patrick’s mind. He rebuffed David’s initial attempts to smooth things over, sipping his whiskey and wondering how things had gone so horribly wrong. But then when Patrick had lashed out, saying that he hadn’t expected to meet two of David’s exes that night, David had looked him in the eye and said quite clearly and without shame, “Funny thing, neither did I.”

It stopped Patrick in his tracks. Is this what he was going to do? Toss his chance at happiness away because David’s journey had been so different than his own? What did it matter that David had been with so many more people than Patrick, when none of it had touched either of them the way it should have? The way he wanted it to touch them tonight. What an absolute ass he would be to throw that away.

Patrick was done being an idiot.

“Maybe it’s best we lock that box back up,” said Patrick, loving how David laughing into their kiss felt. He pushed aside David’s probing into his own history; that was a story for another day, one that would hopefully never come.

Things progressed quickly from there. They fell on to Stevie’s bed, shedding clothes until nothing was left but David’s Andrew Christian tight boxer briefs and Patrick’s plain cotton underwear sold six to the pack. They settled with Patrick on top of David, nestled into the vee of David’s open legs, their half-hard dicks pressed pleasantly together.

Patrick didn’t know what he wanted to touch first. A nearly naked David Rose was a lot to take in; what seemed like acres of soft skin covered with silky black hair, and a fit body that he’d been hiding under thick sweaters for far too long. He reached out a slightly shaking finger and gently touched the dip in David’s collarbone, dragging it down softly towards his sternum.

“I haven’t been able to do any manscaping in a while,” David whispered, sounding apologetic.

Patrick’s eyes shot up from David’s chest to his eyes. “I sure hope you’re not about to tack an ‘I’m sorry’ onto the end of that sentence.” He slid both of his hands into the hair on David’s chest, not breaking eye contact. “Do you not understand how sexy this is for me? I love it. Every time I look at you or touch you, it’s everything I never knew I wanted or needed. A man. I love your stubble and your body hair, how broad your shoulders are and that I have to reach up to kiss you. You’re so virile, and it makes me feel things I’ve never felt before.”

David’s expression was adoring and astonished all at once. “That is the most amazing thing anyone has ever said to me in bed.” He pulled Patrick up by his shoulders, bringing their mouths together in a through, wet kiss that had Patrick’s cock hardening and toes curling into the sheets.

After a few more minutes of making out, their hips rolling together in a beautiful, unchoreographed synchronization, Patrick’s fingers itched to move again. He ran his fingers down David’s arm and down to the side of his hip, caressing the crease where their hipbones pressed together. David rolled them onto their sides smoothly, and Patrick’s hand began to shake when he realized there was enough room now to touch the front of David’s underwear. He wanted to so badly, but it seemed like such a huge step.

“I want-“ Patrick broke off, swallowing, and tried again. David’s eyes were enormous and fiery with desire, his breath coming as short and fast as Patrick’s. “I want to touch you, David. Can I? I want it so much.”

“Yeah,” David breathed, then cupped the back of Patrick’s hand with his own. He guided Patrick’s hand to the steely ridge in his boxer briefs, as if sensing that Patrick couldn’t jump that particular hurdle himself without assistance.

Patrick whimpered when his palm made contact with David’s clothed erection, feeling how hard it was and how it jumped under his hand as he stroked up and down the length. He’d been fairly convinced that he was gay before, instead of bisexual or pan like David, but this really sealed the deal; when he thought about how it felt to do this to David versus exploring a woman in a similar place, he knew for sure that cock was the only thing that could make him feel this excited and aroused. It didn’t feel like a chore, or a box that needed to be checked off. It felt like heaven.

“Can I touch you too?” asked David choked out, his other hand on the side of Patrick’s hip with the thumb just caressing the curve of Patrick’s ass.

“Please,” Patrick moaned, without even thinking. He felt like his dick might actually petrify without friction at that point. David’s palm moved from Patrick’s hand to cup his cock, rubbing firmly and it felt so good Patrick felt like he would come at any moment. The sudden and urgent desire to feel nothing but skin on skin with David overwhelmed him, and he thrust his thumbs into the waistband of David’s underwear. “Off, I want everything off. Please, David, I’m gonna come and I just want you against me.”

With a few disjointed, jerky movements their underwear was yanked off and thrown to the foot of Stevie’s bed, and then there was nothing between them but soft, silky skin and the desperate clutch of their hands around both of their dicks. It only took a few more thrusts before Patrick broke, coming like never before and crying out as the orgasm rippled through his body in relentless waves of pleasure. He distantly heard David groan loudly and felt more warm wetness splash his abdomen, painting his straining abs with David’s release.

They slowly calmed down together, kissing softly and murmuring wordlessly as their breath slowed and bodies relaxed.

“Wow,” said Patrick. He waved his hands vaguely. “That was just…wow. I think my brain melted.”

David giggled softly, gathering Patrick into his arms up to the elbows while keeping his messy hands out to the side. “We’ll have to change the sheets. I think we could both do with a nice shower first, though.”

Patrick smiled before kissing the corner of David’s mouth.

“Lead the way.”

 

Part Four: _I Got It_

Patrick lay with his back on the blanket, his head propped up on the empty backpacks folded and repurposed into a pillow. David’s back was pressed to his chest, head nestled in the crook of his shoulder as he admired the glint of his golden rings in the nearly setting sun.

“I’m glad you like the rings, David.” Patrick kissed the top of David’s head, still unable to believe that in spite of the crash and burn of all his plans, everything had ended up perfectly in place.

“I love them,” replied David. “Where did you get them?”

“I know you got the original ones in Paris. But I worked with the Fair Trade Jewelry Company in Toronto on these. They specialize in fair-mined and conflict free gold jewelry.”

“That just makes them even more perfect.”

They relaxed in silence for a while, passing the last of the champagne bottle back a couple of times.

“We’re getting married,” said David. There was a thread of excitement lacing the words, but more than that was an expression of bone-deep satisfaction.

“We are.”

“I never thought I could have this, you know.” David turned in Patrick’s embrace so they could see eye to eye. “Not like what my parents have. The kind of love that lasts forever.”

Patrick’s throat tightened. “I never thought I could have this either. A happily ever after with the person I was destined to spend the rest of my life with. You’re my soulmate, David.”

“And you’re mine.” David kissed Patrick.

The caw of a turkey vulture broke out over the outlook, as if to punctuate how real and true the moment was.

Four rings.

Two men.

One future.


End file.
